You will go to a foreign country to stay there for one year, and you need a place to live in. You have decided to write to an agency for accommodation. Write a letter to the agency to get information about accommodation. In your letter say: - why you are going to this country - what kind of accommodation you want - when you will arrive
Sample Response
Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to get some details about accommodation in Sydney that your agency can arrange for me. I have been accepted at Macquarie University in a research-based Master's degree programme, and I will start my classes next June. I will stay there for one year and my wife will accompany me during my stay there. Therefore, I need a separate accommodation, not the one the university has offered me in its residence hall. I am looking for a studio apartment that will not cost me more than $1500 per month and is located within the walking distance of the university. It would be ideal if the apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen and fully furnished rooms with windows that allow natural light and fresh air. It would be a bonus if we can access shopping malls, markets, a park and other public amenities without travelling a long distance. I will fly to Sydney on 29th May and would highly appreciate it if you can send me details of several accommodations - the kind I am looking for, within the budget. I am hoping to hear from you soon regarding this. Yours faithfully, Avinash Kumar
IELTS Writing Correction
- 1. Lowercase degree name Original: Master's Suggested revision: master's Why it matters: A generic degree name should not be capitalised here.
- 2. Uncountable accommodation Original: a separate accommodation Suggested revision: separate accommodation Why it matters: Accommodation is uncountable in this use and does not take the article 'a'.
- 3. Remove unnecessary article Original: within the walking distance Suggested revision: within walking distance Why it matters: The fixed expression is 'within walking distance' without 'the'.
- 4. Match studio layout Original: fully furnished rooms Suggested revision: a fully furnished living space Why it matters: A studio is normally described as one living space rather than multiple rooms.
- 5. Use hypothetical form Original: can Suggested revision: could Why it matters: Could better matches the hypothetical accommodation being requested.
- 6. Complete polite request Original: can Suggested revision: could Why it matters: Would appreciate is conventionally followed by 'if you could' in a formal request.
- 7. Use countable option Original: several accommodations Suggested revision: several accommodation options Why it matters: Accommodation is uncountable, so 'options' supplies the required countable noun.
- 8. Clarify the qualifier Original: - the kind I am looking for, within the budget Suggested revision: that meet my requirements and fit my budget Why it matters: A relative clause links the requested options to both requirements more clearly.
- 9. Sentence rewrite Original: I am hoping to hear from you soon regarding this. Suggested revision: I look forward to hearing from you soon. Why it matters: The revision uses a more natural and concise formal closing.
- 10. Separate letter functions Suggested revision: Divide the letter into short paragraphs for the purpose, accommodation requirements, arrival and request, and closing. Why it matters: Clear paragraphing would make the requested information easier for the agency to follow.
Suggested Rewrites
- Master's master's
- a separate accommodation separate accommodation
- within the walking distance within walking distance
- fully furnished rooms a fully furnished living space
- can could
- can could
Why this response received Band 7.5
This letter is strongest in its complete, purposeful coverage: it explains the study plans, specifies the desired apartment and amenities, and gives a precise arrival date in a consistently formal tone. Its main limitation is presentation, because the whole message forms one dense block, while a few article and countability choices sound unnatural; prioritise clear paragraphing by purpose, then polish phrases such as ‘accommodation’ and ‘within walking distance.’
IELTS Writing Criteria Scores
Task Achievement
The purpose is immediately clear, all three bullet points are fully covered, and the accommodation requirements are developed with useful detail in an appropriate formal tone.
Refine the request further by asking explicitly about availability and what the quoted rent includes.
Coherence and Cohesion
Information progresses logically from the reason for the stay to housing preferences and arrival details, but the lack of paragraph breaks makes the letter unnecessarily dense.
Separate the study context, accommodation requirements, and arrival request into distinct functional paragraphs.
Lexical Resource
A flexible range of vocabulary conveys the housing requirements precisely, although a few countability and collocation choices, such as ‘a separate accommodation,’ are unnatural.
Use uncountable ‘accommodation’ consistently and prefer natural combinations such as ‘within walking distance’ and ‘several accommodation options.’
Grammatical Range and Accuracy
The letter uses varied complex structures with strong control, while occasional article and modal choices cause only minor lapses.
Polish small details such as removing ‘the’ before ‘walking distance’ and using ‘could’ after the polite request form.
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IELTS General Training Writing Task 1
You will go to a foreign country to stay there for one year, and you need a place to live in. You have decided to write to an agency for accommodation. Write a letter to the agency to get information about accommodation. In your letter say:
- why you are going to this country
- what kind of accommodation you want
- when you will arrive
Your response
Write the task yourself, then compare your choices with the annotated response.